Propulsion and steering of aeroships



Jan. 12, 1932. s. E. HITT 1,840,716

PRQ ULSION AND ST RING OF AERQSHIPS Jan. 12, 1932. s, H 7 1,840,716

PROPULSION AND STEERING OF AEROSH IPS Filed March 26, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jan. 12, 1932. s. E. Hm 1,840,716

PROPULSION AND STEERING OF AEROSHIPS Filed March 26, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 O m m PM we WH'NESSES.

Jan. 12, 1932. 5, E HlTT PROPULSION AND STEERING OF AEROSHIPS 4 Sheets-Shet 4 Filed March 26, 1929 mmu WFYNESSES.

50.4.20 WLLZE/ @44? C1 W244 Patented Jan. 12, 1932 SAMUEL n. HITT, or ELYRIA, onIo PROPULSION ANDV'STEERING or Annosmrs Application filed March 26, 1929. Serial No. 349,916.

This invention relates to means for the propulsion and steering of aerosh1ps, whether on the water or in the air and is particularly adaptable to the aeroship described and 5 shown in my application filed March 26th,

1928, for air and water craft, SerialNo. 264,634. r v

The objects of the invention are as follows To provide electric propulsion units for the propulsion of the aeroship. i

To provide electric propulsion units for steering the aeroship.

To provide turntable mountings for the propulsion units, so that all the propellers can be turned to head into the wind or toward the head resistance or at such angle between the two according to relative velocity of ship and wind, as will perfectly equalize those forces and cause the aeroshipto maintain a course 1 straight ahead without .drift.

To provideseparate controls for the fore and aft propulsion units, by which the fore units can be turned to star-board and the aft units to port or vice versa to steer the aeroship when on the water or in the air.

To provide an aeroship with propulsion units placed between the'wing and hull resistance in such manner as to reduce the strains upon the frames. k

To provide propulsion units on boththe inner and outer sides of the hull frames to the steerlng unlts.

balance the load on the hulls.

To provide electric motor drives for all pro- 7 pellers of the propulsion units.

the deck and so that lthe propel ler will be clear of slip stream interference from the framework of the aeroship,

To provide an electric motor drive for the turntable mounting of the steering unit applicable to one or'more units, located either forward or aft. v

To provide'an electric motor drive for the turntable mounting of: the propulsion units,

applicable to any number of unitslocated be- I tween the fore and aft steering units.

To provide a source of power in the power house for all the propulsion units. To provide control of all propulsion units in the pilot house. 7 i

To provide the pilot house with a switch board for the propulsion units. 7

To provide the pilot house with a switch board for the steering units.

To provide a steering wheelor helm to operate the controllers for the electric motors which turn the fore and aft propulsion units to steer the aeroship. 7

To provide the switch board with ammeters for each electric motor, to indicate whether the motor is running and the amount of current being used. f

To provide the switch board with individual switches so that any one of the motors can be cut out of service.

pulsion units on either hull can be operated separately.

To provide group switches so that any line of propulsion units on the inner or outer sides of either hulls can ,be operated separately.

To provide group switches so .that propulsion unitsfore and aft can be operated separately.

To provlde a main switch for alll propulsion units. 7 V v To provide a separate control board for With the above and the invention further includes the following novel. features and details of construction, to be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings t Fig. 1 is an end View of my aeroship.

Fig. 2 isa planof a fore and aft line of propulsion units.

Fig. 3 is an elevation of the propulsion unit.

Fig. 4 is a plan of the same. Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation of the'upper portion of the propeller and motor support.

portion of same. '1.

To provide group switches so that 'pro- Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation of the lower other objects inview,

steering units extending fore and aft.

Fig. 7 is a plan of the aeroship.

Fig. 8 is a diagram of the propulsion units.

Fig. 9 is the switch board.

Fig. 10 is the steering control board.

Referring to the drawings in detail, wherein like characters of reference denote corresponding parts, in Fig. 1, the port hull 1 carries a superstructure 3 25, masts 0, wings 10 and propulsion units 210 and 211.

The starboard hull 2 carries the superstructure 126, masts 9, wings 10 and propulsion units 220 and 221. The hull units 1 and 2 are connected by the bridge 5 and spanner 7.

Generally, the aeroship is symmetrical about the center, both fore and aft and also abeam and can go backwards as well as forward.

Propulsion units 210 and 211 are placed on the upper deck 17 over hull 1 on the inner and outer sides to be clear of slip stream interference from masts 9.

In like manner, propulsion units 220 and 221 are placed on the inner and outer edges of deck 17 over hull 2 to be clear of interference from masts 9.

21 is the pilot house.

22 is the power house.

23 is the searc'hlight.

The pilot house 21 is shown over the power house 22. In the pilot house 205 is the helm for steering. In the power house, 230 is the electric generator with leads 231 for current supply to the propulsion units.

In Fig. 3, the propulsion and steering unit is shown in elevation supported on the upper deck 17 of the main frame 3 and 1. 100 is the propeller, 101the propulsion motor, 102 pinion and 103 gear for turning the unit in any direction, 104 shaft, 105 and 106 bearings, 107 worm and 108 worm wheel for intermediate gear reduction, 109 worm shaft,

111 electric motor 112 the 'sli J stream shield for electrlc motor, and 119a a motor gear bearing. 7

In Fi 4 a "'lan of the 1011181011 and b 7 if steering unit gearing, 114: is the motor pinion, 115 is the motor gear, and 110 the worm shaft hearings.

in Figs. 5 and 6, the propulsion unit is shown supported on the upper deck 17 by base 120, post 121, hollow shaft 122, bearing 123, seat 124, and balls 125. 110 are the worm shaft bearings, supported by brackets 127 on the base 120. 128 is the-cover over the worm gearing.

Fig. 2 shows one line of propulsion and 130 is the fore unit and 131 the aft unit, both under separate control of the pilot. The unit 130 is shown turned-to starboard and the unit 131 to port, for turning the aeroship tostarboard.

The intermediate units 132 are turned by one electric motor 133 and are under one control in the cabin.

To steer straight ahead, all motors are brought to the same angle, necessary to accomplish that result. That angle is determined by the pilot and depends on the direction and velocity of both the aeroship and the prevailing wind. In a dead calm, the motor units are turned straight ahead.

For the purpose of reducing the size of unit and to balance the load on the hulls, I prefer the alternate arrangement shown in Figs. 1', 7 and 8 where the propulsion units are on the inner and outer sides of hulls 1 and 2 and for which provision is made in the switch board shown in Fig. 9.

In Fig. 7, four lines of propulsion units "210, 211, 220 and 221 are shown on the inner and outer edges of frames 3 and 4 over hulls 1 and 2, each line of units similar to that shown in more detail .in Fig. 8.

Fig. 8 is a diagram showing in plan the turning drives for all of the propulsion and steering units in which shaft 240 turns the inner units 210 and the shaft 2 11 turns the outer units 211 over hull 1. Shafts 240 and 2 11 are driven by one motor 243 through cross shafting 244 and bevel gears 2 15.

In like manner on hull '2, the inner and outer propulsion units 220 and 221 areiturned by the shafts 2 16 and 247 driven by one mo tor 2 18 through cross shafting2d9 and bevel gears 250.

The'fore and aft steering units on hulls 1 and 2 areall the same, the units 130 and 130a driven by the cross shafting 251-and electric motor 252. The aft units 131and 131a are turnedin a similar manner by one motor 253.

The control board in Fig. 10 is the same for either two or four lines of propulsion inner side. Switch 153 controls apropulsion 5 motor aft on the outboard side of port hull 1 and switch 15d the inner slde.

In a similar manner, switches .155, 156,

and 158 control the propulsion motors fore and aft'on hull 2.

Switch 159 controlsall the propeller motors forward .on port hull 1., switch 160 all the units aft on hull 1. Switch 161 all-the propeller motors forward on starboard hull 2 and 162 all the units aft. 163 is a main switch and controls all the propeller motors.

In Fig. 10 control board for steering motors 170 is an indicator showing the angular position of'the fore steering units 130 of the port hull 1 and 171 is the controller for the motors 234 for turning those units, the handle 17 8 turned to the left to steer to port and to the right to steer to starboard.

In like manner 172 is the indicator and 173 is the controller for the aft steering motors 235 of hull 1. Y

In like manner also, indicator 17 1 and controller 17 5, indicator 17 6 and controller 17 7 are for the fore and aft steering motors of the starboard hull 2. Ordinarily the controllers 171, 173, 175 and 177 are geared to the helm, but may be disconnected and opera-ted separately.

The two central panels in Fig. 10 are for turning the intermediate propulsion units and control all the four groups 210, 211, 220 and 221. Indicator 179 and controller 180 are for groups 210 and 211 on hull 1. Indicator 181 and controller 182 are for groups 220 and 221 on hull 2.

Thepilot at the helm, has a double wheel, one for turning the steering units and one for turning the intermediate units. He also has before him a set of indicators, such as 170,

I 179 and 176 for line of units 210 shown on control board in Fig. 10. With the two wheels the pilot operates all the propulsion units and the attendant at the board makes frequent adjustments to keep all four lines of units in unison. In other words, he

watches the control board to see that all the group. By operation of the electric controllers for the electric motors of the fore unit 130 and the aft unit 131, the units 130 turn to face starboard and units 131 to face port, or vice versa, the aeroship comes about until on the right course, when all the pro pulsion units are adjusted to hold the course.

The end units 130 and 131 are brought to face in the same direction as the intermediate units 132, the facing angle or deviation from course depending on the relative directions of the aeroship and the prevailing wind and also on the speed of the aeroship relative to the velocity of the wind. Position of propulsion units therefore must be frequently adjusted until the aeroship gets up to speed. The pilot then checks up to see if he is holding his course.

On starting out, the velocity of the wind may be great in comparison with the speedof the aeroship and must be given careful attention. When under way, traveling at from 140 to 200 miles an hour, the speed of the aeroship is so much greater than the velocity of the wind that only in' case of a severe storm is it necessary to leave the course and tack ,on' account of the wind. j

possesses all the" features of'advantageenumerated as desirable in the statement of the invention and the above description. 'It is also evident that numerous changes in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of parts may be resort.-

ed to, without departing from'the spirit and scope of the inventionas hereinafter claimed, without sacrificing any of its advantages; WVha t I claim is':- i 1. In an aeroship or similar craft, a hull, two parallel rows of propulsion, units sup ported by and above the hull, each propul sionunit being'swiveled upon' a vertical axis and including an air propeller having a horizontal axis; andmeans for simultaneously rotating the units of-the two .rows in respec may the. same direction and to equal rota tional extents about their swiveling axes 2. In an aeroship or similar craft, an assemblage as per claim 1, in which the two rows .of propulsion units extend longitudinally of the hull .and respectively at opposite sides of the vertical longitudinal medial plane of the hull.

I 3. In an aeroship or similar craft, an assemblage as per claim.l, in which the two rows of .propulsion' units extend longitudinally of the hull and respectively at opposite sides of the vertical longitudinal medial plane of the hull and at equal-distances from the said plane.

4. In an aeroship or similar craft, anfas semblage as per claim 1, in whichthe steering means include two control shafts each extending adjacent to the propulsion units of one row, gearing connecting each-shaft with the units adjacent to it, and a. mechanism interposed between the two control shafts for simultaneously rotating the two shafts in respectively opposite directions. I

5. In an aeroship or similar craft, an as.- semblage as per claim 1, in which the steering means include two control shafts eachextending adjacent to thepropulsion units of one row, gearing connecting each shaft with the units adjacent to it, and a mechanism in terposed between the two control shafts for simultaneously rotatingthe two shafts in respectively opposite directions and to the same rotational extent. V i

6. In an aeroship or similar craft,a hull f two parallel rows of propulsion units supported by and above the hull, eaclipropulsion unit being swiveled upon a vertical axis and lncluding an an propeller having a horizontal axis, and means for simultaneously rotating the units of the two rows in respectively the same direction and to equal rotational extents about their swiveling axes; the said its means including a shaft and gear assembly arranged for continuously maintaining a parallel relation between the axes of all of the air propellers of the propulsion units in the said two rows.

7. In an aeroship or similarcraft, two parallel and spaced hulls, superstructures spanning the space between the two hulls, masts rising from the superstructurcs and disposed respectively in the vertical and longitudinal medial planes of the two hulls, wings carried by each mast and air propellers carried by the superstructures, the air propellers being disposed in rows respectively at opposite sides of each of the masts, and means connecting the air propellers of each row for simultaneously and bodily rotating them about vertical axes.

8. In an aeroship or similar craft, a hull, two parallel rows of air'resisting propulsion units supported above the hulh the units in each row facing in the same direction and being substantially uniformly spaced over the major portion of the length of the hull, each unit being: swiveled on a vertical axis and the swiveling,- axes of the units in each row being in a common plane; two parallel and rotatable control shafts respectively adjacent to the two rows of units, common means for simultaneously rotating both control shafts, and gear mechanisms respectively positively connecting the units of each row with the control shaft adjacent to. that row; the said rotating means and mechanisms being arranged for simultaneously rotating all of the said units about their swiveling: axes, and for rotating the units of the said two rows in the same direction.

9. In an aeroship or similar craft, a hull, two parallel rows of propulsion units supported by and. above the hull, each propulsion unit being swiveled upon a vertical axis and including an air propeller having a horizontal axis, the two rows of units disposed symmetrically about the longitudinal plane of the hull, the said propulsion units arranged in forward aft and inter nediate groupspsteerinn means for simultaneously rotating" the pair of forward units in the same direction and to equal rotational extents about their swiveling axes, steeringmeans for simultaneously rotating the pair of aft units in the same direction and to equal rotational extents about their swiveling axes and in,oppo site direction to the rotation of the aforesaid forward steering means, and ineansfor Sil? multaneo-usly rotating all units of the intermediate group in the same direction and to equal rotational extents about their swiveling axes,-substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature SAMUEL E. HITT. 

